Excavator.



No. 655,784. Patented Aug. 14. I900. G. W. KING.

EXCAVATOR. (Application filed m 17, 1897-) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet H.

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No. 655,784. Patented Aug. 14, I900. G. W. KING.

EXCAVATOB.

(Application filed. May 17, 1897.)

4 Sheets-Sheet Z.

(No Model.)

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EXGAVATOR.

(Application filed May 17, 1897. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3,

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EXCAVATOR..

(Application filed May 17, 1897.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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UniTnrn STATES PATENT rina.

GEORGE \V. KING,.OF'MARION, OHIO.

EXCAVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,784, dated August 14, 1900.

Application filed May 17, 1897- Saris-1N0. 636,837. (N0 model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE IV. KING, of Marion, Marion county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to a machine designed for excavating and elevating or transferring mineral-bearing earth.

My invention relates more especially to an excavator having its car or body portion provided with the following: a suitably-operated shovel, an incline supported from the body portion and provided with a suitable track, a car mounted upon said track, apparatus for propelling said car upon said track, and the arrangement of parts being such that said car when it is at the lower end of the track-bearin g incline shall be in position to receive the material from the shovel, and said car when in its elevated position at the upper end of the incline shall be in position to deliver the material to the separator or washer.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. This figure shows the machine mounted upon a track arranged longitudinally of the bottom of the cut that has been made by the excavator. Fig. II is a front end elevation of portions of the machine, and this figure shows the boom swung laterally to one side, with the excavating-shovel in position over the car that is mounted upon the incline and that is designed to receive the material from the bucket. Fig. III is a top plan of the body portion of the excavator and the incline that is mounted upon said body portion. Fig. IV is a rear end elevation, partly in section, on line IV IV, Fig. I, of portions of the machine and shows the zigzaga'rrangement of sluices or riflies and shows also a pump for disposing of the refuse when it is not desirable to allow said refuse to run upon the ground near the machine. Fig. V is a side elevation of said incline and shows the car upon said incline in a dumping position and shows the upper end of the hopper that is designed to "receive the material from said car and convey it into a revolving screen of the separating apparatus. Fig. VI is a rear elevation showing the rear trucks of the machine, the rocking bolster extending transversely over said trucks, and the portion of the machines body portion that rests upon the central portion of the bolster between stops that are formed upon the bolster and prevent endwise displacement of the bolster.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the car or body portion of the excavator, which body portion is provided with trucks A, that are mounted upon track-rails A arranged longitudinally of the bottom of the cut ct made by the machine and in which the machine operates.

]3 represents the laterally-swinging boom with which the forward end of the machine is provided. Said boom extends upwardly and outwardly from its lower pivotal center 1), and at its upper end has attached a rod 3), that at its inner end terminates in a sleeve 6 that is mounted upon a vertical pin or bearing 0, formed upon the upper end of the so-called A-frame or upwardly-extending frame 0 and constituting the upper pivotal center of the boom. Apparatus for swinging the boom laterally is so well understood by those skilled in the art that a description thereof or further reference thereto is unnecessary in this specification. The boom is provided with an excavating-shovel B and apparatus for thrusting the shovel in and out and apparatus for raising and lowering the shovel. The shovelactuating apparatus is also so well understood by those skilled in the art that illustration or description thereof in this application is not required.

In thevupper and rear portion of the car or body portion of the machine is suitably supported a revolving screen D, that is arranged longitudinally of the machine, declines toward its rear end, and extends somewhat rearward of the body portion. A hopper E is provided at the forward end of this screen and is arranged to convey'the material received thereby into the forward end of the screen. The mineral-bearing earth is conveyed from the excavating-bucket to and dumped into ICO said hopper, and thence passes into the revolving screen. The coarser material that is too large to pass through the meshes of the screen passes out at the rear end of the screen onto a rearwardly-declining apron G, that is arranged to receive the material from the rear end of the screen and deposit the same in a pile H at the rear end of the machine, as shown in Fig. I. The water, mineral, and fine-r material that pass through the meshes of the screen fall in the main or entirely upon an inclined apron I, arranged below the forward and central portions of the machine. In the case illustrated in Fig. I another apron I, that can be dispensed with, if desired, is arranged below the rear portion of the screen. Apron I declines forwardly and the forward apron I declines rearwardly. The inclined aprons I I are separated at their lower or discharging ends to accommodate the escape of the material passing down said aprons onto the upper riffle or sluice of a series of rifl'les or sluices J, that are arranged in a zigzag form, as shown very clearly in Fig. IV. The gold or valuable minerals are caught upon or held by these riffles or sluices, and the water or residue is caught in a basin K, formed at the foot of the lowermost riffle or sluice, and the water and refuse are forced by means of a pump L through a pipe or conductor Zto a point that is out of the Way. This pump may bedispensed with if natural drainage can be had. The arrangement of sluices or riffles is such that the lower end of each riffle or sluice 4 above the lowermost sluice or rifl'le will discharge any matter escaping therefrom upon the upper end of the sluice or riflie next below.

An; incline M is at its outer end seated upon and arranged diagonally of the roof A of the car or body portion. The upper portion of this incline comprises a frame M, arranged horizontally and diagonally of and resting upon the roof of the body portion. This frame M supports a horizontally-arranged or approximately horizontally-arranged track M whose rails extend longitudinally of the forward portion of said frame and at their forward ends join and form a continuation of the rails of the inclined track m that extends laterally of and downwardly from the roof of the car and is formed upon the inclined frame m, that correspondingly extends laterallyof and downwardlyfrom the cars roof and is hinged or pivoted horizontally at its upper end, as at m, to the forward ends of the horizontally-arranged frame M. The hinging of the inclined frame on to the horizontally-arranged frame not only accommodates the swinging of said inclined frame downwardly or upwardly and rearwardly out of the way, as may be desired in the transportation of the machine, but enables said inclined track-bearing frame to accommodate itself to any unevenness or height in'the operation of the excavator. Said attachment of the lower portion of the incline to the inclines upper portion accommodates also the detachment of the former it said detachment for any reason becomes desirable. Frame m at its outer end is provided, preferably, with a runner m that is arranged to rest upon the bank a at the adjacent side of the'cut, as shown in Figs. I and II, which runner is arranged longitudinally of the bank and accommodates the movement of the incline with the excavator as required from time to time during the extension of the excavation or cut. The incline comprises, furthermore, another inclined frame M that extends upwardly and rearwardly from the upper end of the inclined track-bearing frame at over and is suitably supported from the horizontally arranged frame M. A track M" is formed upon the forward portion of said frame it Said track M has its two rails arranged alongside of the different rails, respectively, of track M A car N is arranged to move upon the aforesaid tracks. Said car, when it is upon the lower end of inclined track 177., is in position to receive the contents of the excavating-bucket when the latter is hoisted and moved over said car in said position of the car.

The track m at its lower or outer end, is provided with stops m designed to be engaged by the w ieels N of the outer end of the car N when the latter is in position at the bottom of the incline, and thereby prevent said car from running downwardly off the inclinc. The treads of the wheels N at the inner or discharging end of carN are just wide enough to properly engage the rails of tracks m M and are not Wide enough when moved from track m onto track M to engage track M". The treads of wheels N of the car are, however, wider than the rails of track 172 and extend laterally of said rails far enough to cause them to run upon the rails of track M during the ascent of the car upon the incline, so that when the laden car is moved upwardly to the place at which it is in position to dump into the aforesaid hopper said wheels N will run upon track M, while the cars wheels N will move upon track M so that the car will he stood upon its discharging end, as shown in Fig. V, and thereby dump or discharge its contents into the hopper below through an opening A (shown in Fig. III) in the roof of the car. The discharging end of car N is provided, preferably,with a gate N that is automatically opened, as will hereinafter fully appear, when the said car is pulled to the place at which it is dumped.

The machine is provided with a brace O, employed in supporting the outer portion of the incline when bank a is too low or rough for the runner. Said brace rests at one end (see Figs. I and II) against the floor or lower part of the body portion A of the machine and engages at its opposite end the under side of the outer and lower end of the incline. A

cable 0', attached at one end to the outer end of the incline and attached at its opposite end to the adjacent portion of the forward end of the roof of body portion A, prevents lateral displacement of the incline.

The apparatus employed for propelling the car N upon the incline comprises, preferably, a cable P, that at one end is attached to the central portion of a bail n, that straddles car N and is horizontally pivoted. at its ends to the outer end of the car. Cable P leads from said bail upwardly and rearwardly to and over a vertically-arranged sheave P, suitablysupported from the upper end of the rearportion of inclined frame M thence leads to and over a vertically-arranged sheave P suitably supported below the roof of car A, and thence leads to a suitably-operated winding-drum P that in the case illustrated is suitably supported within the forward portion of car A. Drum P in the case illustrated is loosely mounted upon a suitablydriven shaft Q, that is arranged horizontally and transversely of car A and is provided with a driving-wheel Q. A clutch for establishing operative connection between said drum and shaft is provided. One member Q of this clutch is operatively and sli'dably mounted upon the shaft, and the other clutch member Q is rigid with the drum. By sliding, therefore, the movable clutch member into operative connection with the stationary clutch member the drum is-operatively connected with the shaft and rotated as required to wind up the cable, and thereby propel the car N up the incline. Movement of said car in the opposite direction is effected by gravity upon interrupting operative connection between the drum and shaft. A sprocket-wheel Q; is operatively mounted upon said shaft and connected by means of a chain Q with a sprocket-wheel R, that is operatively mounted upon a horizontally-arranged shaft R, located and suitably supported rearwardly of shaft Q. Shaft R is intergeared, as at B with another suitably-supported shaft R that is arranged longitudinally of the machine, and a pinion R operatively mounted on the rear end of said shaft R, meshes with an annular gear D, formed externally of and operatively connected with the revolving screen. Hence motion is communicated to the screen from the same shaft that is instrumental in the propulsion of car N. Gate N of car N is attached, it will be observed, to the forward end of bail n and has the arrangement required to render it capable of closing the cars discharging end when the car is upon the lower portion of the incline. The bail is and remains in the line of the engaging propelling-cable during the cars move ments, and hence said gate is removed from the cars discharging end, as shown in solid lines, Fig. V, when the cars discharging end is lowered relative to the cars opposite end, to which the bail is attached.

A machine of the character indicated is believed to be quite novel in the art, and its merits will readily be appreciated by those skilled in the art of excz'tvating mineral-bearing earth.

A system of water-supply pipes W is arranged to convey water into the upper end of hopper E and onto the upper end of apron I.

A brake (not shown) would of course likely be employed to hold or assist in holding car N in its dumping position; but the application of braking devices is so well understood that illustration thereof or further reference thereto is not here considered necessary.

I would also remark that a vertically-rocking bolster S extends transversely over the rear trucks of the machine between two crossbeams A A, secured to and extending transversely of the bottom of the car-body, (see Figs. I and VI,) and the rocking capability of the bolster enables the bolster to accommodate itself to any unevenness in the tracks upon which the machine is mounted. The trucks are connected and rendered movable with the bolster in any approved manner, and interposition of the bolster between beams A and A renders it movable with the car-body. This bolster is shown very clearly in Fig. VI, and in dotted lines in this figure is shown the manner in which said bolster can tip. The car-body or house or body portion of the machine is provided upon its under side with a depending member or portion A that upon its under side is convex transversely of the machine and rests upon the central portion of the aforesaid bolster. Said depending portion of the car-body or house is therefore convex longitudinally of the bolster, and the latter can rock vertically upon said convex surface. The bolster is provided with two upward projections S S, arranged at opposite sides, respectively, of said depending convex member of the house or car-body, and constituting stops that prevent endwise displacement of the bolster.

hat I claim is 1. In an excavator of the character indicated, the suitably-supported incline extending downwardly and outwardly from the machines body portion, and a cable 0 attached at one end to the outer and lower end of the incline, and attached at its opposite end to the body portion, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

2. An excavator of the characterindicated having its body portion provided with an incline or elevator that is supported, at its inner end, from the body'portion and has its outer end provided with a runner, substantially as set forth.

3. In an excavator, the combination with the machines body portion and the suitablysupported laterally-swinging boom provided with a suitably-operated excavating-shovel: of an incline supported from and extending laterally of and downwardly from the body portion, and provided, at its outer end, with a runner arranged longitudinally of the ma- IIO chine, a car movable upon the incline, means for propelling the car upon the incline, a hopper arranged to receive the material from the car When the latter is dumped at the upper portion of the incline.

4. The combination with the excavators 7 body portion provided with an incline eX- tending laterally of and downwardly from the body portion, and a car movable upon the incline: of a suitably-operated shaft Q supported from the body portion, a windingdruin loose upon said shaft, a clutch for establishing and interrupting operative connection between the drum and shaft, a cable engaging said drum and operatively connected with the aforesaid car, and sheaves for guiding said cable, substantially as and for p the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with the machines bodyportion having an incline extending outwardly from the body portion, a car mounted upon said incline, said car having a bail straddling and pivoted to the sides of the car, means for tilting the cars discharging end downwardly when the car is upon the upper portion of the incline, a suitably-actuated cable operatively connected with said bail and a gate attached to the bail and arranged to close the cars discharging end when the latter is upon the lower end of the incline, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. An excavator having its carbody pro vided, at each end, with two trucks arranged a suitable distance apart; a bolster extending over the trucks of the rear pair of trucks,

and arranged transversely of and below the car-body, which bolster has such connection with the trucks and car-body as to render the trucks and car-body movable together; a member depending from and rigid with the ear-body and resting upon the central portion of the bolster, which member has its lower surface convex transversely of the body portion, and two stops S and S arrangedat opposite ends, respectively, of the aforesaid eonveX surface, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

7. An excavator having its car-body provided, at each end, with two trucks arranged a suitable distance apart; a bolster extending overthe trucks of the rear pair of trucks and arranged transversely of and below the car-body, and having such connection with the trucks as to be movable with the latter; two beams A and A rigid with theear-body and arranged at opposite sides, respectively, of, and in close proximity to, the bolster, and a member rigid with and depending from the car-body between the beams and resting upon the central portion of the bolster, which depending member has its lower surface convex transversely of the car-body, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of two witnesses, this Qith day of April, 1897.

GEORGE W. KING. Witnesses:

W. R. WADDELL, O. H. DORER. 

